Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF
  • A23L2/00—Non-alcoholic beverages; Dry compositions or concentrates therefor; Preparation or treatment thereof
  • A23L2/38—Other non-alcoholic beverages
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF
  • A23L2/00—Non-alcoholic beverages; Dry compositions or concentrates therefor; Preparation or treatment thereof
  • A23L2/52—Adding ingredients
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF
  • A23L2/00—Non-alcoholic beverages; Dry compositions or concentrates therefor; Preparation or treatment thereof
  • A23L2/52—Adding ingredients
  • A23L2/54—Mixing with gases
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF
  • A23L2/00—Non-alcoholic beverages; Dry compositions or concentrates therefor; Preparation or treatment thereof
  • A23L2/52—Adding ingredients
  • A23L2/60—Sweeteners

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a beverage containing erythritol, gluconic acid or a gluconic acid compound, and one or more specific amino acids, and a method for producing the same. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for improving the taste of a beverage, which includes adding gluconic acid or a gluconic acid compound, and one or more amino acids to an erythritol-containing beverage.
• alternative sweeteners In recent years, in light of growing health awareness and the introduction of sugar taxes being considered in various countries, the development of food and beverage products that use alternative sweeteners has been progressing. However, alternative sweeteners often have a unique flavor that differs from sugar, and the presence of such a unique flavor can be a cause for concern when using alternative sweeteners. For this reason, studies have been conducted to reduce or improve the unique flavor of alternative sweeteners.
• Patent Document 1 discloses blending one or more sweetness quality improving substances selected from Japanese pepper extract, ginger extract, bay extract, nutmeg extract and Chinese pepper extract into a beverage containing one or more sweeteners selected from sucralose, acesulfame potassium and erythritol as a technology for improving the sweetness quality, sharpness, sweetness lingering or bitterness of one or more sweeteners selected from these sweeteners.
• Patent Document 1 discloses blending one or more sweetness quality improving substances selected from Japanese pepper extract, ginger extract, bay extract, nutmeg extract and Chinese pepper extract into a beverage containing one or more sweeteners selected from sucralose, acesulfame potassium and erythritol as a technology for improving the sweetness quality, sharpness, sweetness lingering or bitterness of one or more sweeteners selected from these sweeteners.
• Japanese Patent No. 6668607 discloses blending one or more sweetness quality improving substances selected from Japanese pepper extract, ginger extract, bay extract, nutmeg extract and Chinese pepper extract into a beverage
• Patent Document 2 discloses the use of a small amount of D-psicose, 0.27 to 7 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of erythritol, in a sweetener composition containing erythritol as the main component, as a taste quality improvement technology for suppressing the bitterness and improving the aftertaste in a sweetener containing erythritol as the main component.
• the inventors have found through their research that by adding erythritol, gluconic acid or a gluconic acid compound, and one or more specific amino acids to a beverage, at least one flavor selected from the group consisting of off-flavors, low body, and lingering sweetness derived from erythritol is improved.
• the present invention is based on this finding.
• the present invention includes, for example, the following aspects.
• [2] The beverage according to [1], comprising one or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of glycine, alanine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, serine, threonine, glutamine, asparagine, arginine, lysine and histidine.
• [3] The beverage according to [1] or [2], wherein the content of the one or more amino acids is 10 to 5,000 ppm by mass.
• [4] The beverage according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the erythritol content is 100 to 25,000 ppm by mass.
• the high-intensity sweetener comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, rebaudioside I, rebaudioside J, rebaudioside K, rebaudioside M, rebaudioside N, rebaudioside O, rebaudioside Q, rebaudioside R, dulcoside A, dulcoside C, rubusoside, steviol monoside, steviolbioside, stevioside, Monk Fruit Extract, Mogroside V, thaumatin, brazzein, licorice extract, saccharin, neotame, aspartame, acesulfame K, sucralose, and combinations
• the method for improving the taste of a beverage comprises adding to an erythritol-containing beverage gluconic acid or a gluconic acid compound and one or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, valine, cystine and theanine.
• amino acids selected from the group consisting of alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine,
• a beverage in which at least one flavor selected from the group consisting of erythritol-derived off-flavors, low body, and aftertaste sweetness is improved.
• a method for improving at least one flavor selected from the group consisting of erythritol-derived off-flavors, low body, and aftertaste sweetness it is possible to provide a beverage in which at least one flavor selected from the group consisting of erythritol-derived off-flavors, low body, and aftertaste sweetness.
• the present invention provides a beverage (hereinafter also referred to as the "beverage of the present invention") that contains erythritol, gluconic acid or a gluconic acid compound, and one or more specific amino acids.
• a beverage contains erythritol, gluconic acid or a gluconic acid compound, and one or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, valine, cystine, and theanine.
• amino acids selected from the group consisting of alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, valine, cystine, and theanine
• the term "beverage” refers to a drinkable liquid or liquid-like food, including those in which a part is in a gel or sol form.
• the beverage may be either an alcoholic beverage or a non-alcoholic beverage.
• non-alcoholic beverages include, but are not limited to, non-alcoholic beer, malt beverages, lactic acid bacteria beverages, cocoa, sports drinks, energy drinks, tea-based beverages, coffee beverages, jelly beverages, carbonated beverages, functional beverages, fruit juice beverages, vegetable beverages, dairy beverages, soy milk beverages, and flavored water.
• the beverage according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is a carbonated beverage or an energy beverage.
• Beverages according to some embodiments of the present invention contain erythritol, gluconic acid or a gluconic acid compound, and one or more specific amino acids, and as shown in the examples of this specification, can unexpectedly improve at least one flavor selected from the group consisting of off-flavors derived from erythritol, reduced body due to sugar reduction, and aftertaste of sweetness derived from artificial sweeteners or non-caloric sweeteners used as a substitute for sugar reduction.
• off-flavors refers to the specific off-flavors perceived when drinking a beverage containing erythritol
• reduced body refers to the thick sensation perceived when drinking a beverage containing sugar that is lost in a reduced-sugar beverage
• aftertaste of sweetness refers to the sweet sensation that lingers in the mouth perceived when drinking a beverage containing an artificial sweetener or non-caloric sweetener.
• the beverage according to one embodiment of the present invention contains erythritol.
• Erythritol is a natural sweetener classified as a sugar alcohol, and has about 70% of the sweetness of sucrose.
• Erythritol is known as a low-calorie or zero-calorie sweetener because it is hardly digested in the human body and is excreted in urine.
• the erythritol content is 100 to 25,000 ppm by mass.
• the erythritol content is 100 to 20,000 ppm by mass, 100 to 17,500 ppm by mass, 100 to 15,000 ppm by mass, 100 to 12,500 ppm by mass, 100 to 10,000 ppm by mass, 100 to 9,000 ppm by mass, 100 to 8,500 ppm by mass, 100 to 8,000 ppm by mass, 100 to 7,500 ppm by mass, 100 to 7,000 ppm by mass, 500 to 25,000 ppm by mass, 500 to 20,000 ppm by mass, 500 to 17,500 ppm by mass, 500 to 25,0 ...
• the erythritol content is 5,000 to 10,000 ppm by mass or 6,000 to 8,000 ppm by mass. Adding erythritol to a beverage in such an amount can increase the sense of satisfaction when drinking.
• the erythritol content in a beverage can be measured by HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography). Alternatively, if the amount of erythritol blended is known, a value calculated from the amount blended can be used.
• the beverage according to one embodiment of the present invention contains gluconic acid or a gluconic acid compound.
• the gluconic acid compound is a compound derived from gluconic acid, and examples thereof include gluconate salts, gluconic acid esters, and glucono-delta-lactone.
• gluconate salts include sodium gluconate, potassium gluconate, zinc gluconate, calcium gluconate, ferrous gluconate, and copper gluconate.
• the gluconic acid compound is one or more selected from the group consisting of sodium gluconate and potassium gluconate.
• Sodium gluconate is a sodium salt of gluconic acid
• potassium gluconate is a potassium salt of gluconic acid, and can be used as a food additive.
• the gluconic acid is preferably D-gluconic acid.
• the content of gluconic acid or gluconic acid compounds is not particularly limited, but is preferably 30 to 20,000 ppm by mass in terms of gluconic acid.
• the content in terms of gluconic acid is 30 to 17,000 ppm by mass, 30 to 16,000 ppm by mass, 30 to 15,000 ppm by mass, 30 to 10,000 ppm by mass, 30 to 8,000 ppm by mass, 30 to 6,000 ppm by mass, 30 to 4,000 ppm by mass, 30 to 2,000 ppm by mass, 50 to 20,000 ppm by mass, 50 ⁇ 17,000 mass ppm, 50 to 15,000 mass ppm, 50 to 10,000 mass ppm, 50 to 8,000 mass ppm, 50 to 6,000 mass ppm, 50 ⁇ 4,000 mass ppm, 50 to 2,000 mass ppm, 100 to 20,000 mass ppm, 100 to 17,000 mass ppm, 100 to 15,000 mass ppm , 100 to 10,000 mass ppm, 100 to 8,000 mass ppm, 100 to
• gluconic acid equivalent is a measurement of the amount of gluconic acid contained in the beverage, and is the total amount of gluconic acid and gluconic acid compounds.
• gluconic acid compounds e.g., gluconate salts and glucono delta-lactone, etc.
• the effect of gluconic acid or gluconic acid compounds on the taste quality of the beverage can be adjusted by adjusting the concentration of gluconic acid equivalent in the beverage.
• gluconic acid or a gluconic acid compound By adding such an amount of gluconic acid or a gluconic acid compound and a predetermined amount of an amino acid described below to a beverage containing erythritol, at least one flavor selected from the group consisting of erythritol-derived unpleasant flavors, low body, and lingering sweetness can be improved.
• the content in terms of gluconic acid can be measured, for example, by an enzyme method or ion chromatography. Alternatively, if the amount of the compound is known, a value calculated from the amount of the compound may be used.
• the beverage of some embodiments of the present invention contains sodium at 1 to 2,000 ppm by mass, which means that the content of sodium atoms is 1 to 2,000 ppm by mass.
• the sodium content may be, depending on the embodiment, 10 to 2,000 ppm by weight, 50 to 2,000 ppm by weight, 100 to 2,000 ppm by weight, 150 to 2,000 ppm by weight, 300 to 2,000 ppm by weight, 400 to 2,000 ppm by weight, 500 to 2,000 ppm by weight, 600 to 2,000 ppm by weight, 700 to 2,000 ppm by weight, 800 to 2,000 ppm by weight, 900 to 2,000 ppm by weight, 1,000 to 2,000 ppm by weight, 1,100 to 2,000 ppm by weight, 10 to 1,800 ppm by weight, 50 to 1,800 ppm by weight, 100 to 1,800 mass ppm, 150 to 1,800 mass ppm, 300 to 1,800 mass ppm, 400 to 1,800 mass ppm, 500 to 1,800 mass ppm by
• the sodium content is derived from one or more sodium salts selected from the group consisting of organic acid salts such as sodium gluconate, sodium malate, sodium tartrate, monosodium citrate, disodium citrate, trisodium citrate, sodium lactate, sodium alginate, and sodium ascorbate, inorganic salts such as sodium chloride, sodium sulfate, sodium phosphate, sodium carbonate, sodium disulfide, sodium bicarbonate, and sodium hydroxide, sodium alginate, sodium glutamate, sodium aspartate, and sodium caseinate.
• organic acid salts such as sodium gluconate, sodium malate, sodium tartrate, monosodium citrate, disodium citrate, trisodium citrate, sodium lactate, sodium alginate, and sodium ascorbate
• inorganic salts such as sodium chloride, sodium sulfate, sodium phosphate, sodium carbonate, sodium disulfide, sodium bicarbonate, and sodium hydroxide, sodium alginate, sodium glutamate, sodium
• the sodium content is derived from one or more sodium salts selected from the group consisting of sodium gluconate, sodium malate, sodium tartrate, sodium lactate, sodium alginate, sodium ascorbate, sodium chloride, sodium sulfate, sodium phosphate, sodium carbonate, sodium disulfide, sodium bicarbonate, sodium hydroxide, sodium alginate, sodium glutamate, sodium aspartate, and sodium caseinate.
• sodium salts selected from the group consisting of sodium gluconate, sodium malate, sodium tartrate, sodium lactate, sodium alginate, sodium ascorbate, sodium chloride, sodium sulfate, sodium phosphate, sodium carbonate, sodium disulfide, sodium bicarbonate, sodium hydroxide, sodium alginate, sodium glutamate, sodium aspartate, and sodium caseinate.
• the beverage of some embodiments of the present invention contains one or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, valine, cystine and theanine.
• the beverage contains one or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of glycine, alanine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, serine, threonine, glutamine, asparagine, arginine, lysine and histidine.
• the amino acids used in the present invention may be D- or L-forms, or may be racemic mixtures consisting of D- and L-forms (also referred to as DL amino acids in this specification).
• the content of the one or more amino acids is not particularly limited, but may be more than 0 ppm by mass and not more than 5,000 ppm by mass. When two or more amino acids are included, this content is the total amount of the two or more amino acids.
• the content of the amino acids may be 10 to 5,000 ppm by mass, 30 to 5,000 ppm by mass, more than 30 ppm by mass and not more than 5,000 ppm by mass, 50 to 5,000 ppm by mass, 100 to 5,000 ppm by mass, 150 to 5,000 ppm by mass, 200 to 5,000 ppm by mass, 250 to 5,000 ppm by mass, 300 to 5,000 ppm by mass, 400 to 5,000 ppm by mass, 50 to 5,000 ppm by mass, 600 to 7,000 ppm by mass, 700 to 8,000 ppm by mass, 800 to 9,000 ppm by mass, 900 to 10,000 ppm by mass, 100 to 5,000 ppm by mass, 150 to 5,000 ppm by mass, 900
• the amount of amino acid and a predetermined amount of the gluconic acid or gluconic acid compound By adding such an amount of amino acid and a predetermined amount of the gluconic acid or gluconic acid compound to a beverage containing erythritol, at least one flavor selected from the group consisting of unpleasant taste, low body feeling, and sweet aftertaste derived from erythritol can be improved.
• the content of the amino acid can be measured by an automatic amino acid analysis method or high performance liquid chromatography.
• a value calculated from the amount of the amino acid blended may be used.
• the amino acid used in the present invention may be an amino acid purified as an amino acid preparation, or may be an amino acid derived from a raw material contained in a raw material such as fruit juice. Therefore, the amount of amino acids contained in the beverage of the present invention is the total amount of amino acids derived from the raw materials and those added from an external source.
• the content of the one or more amino acids and the content of gluconic acid or gluconic acid compounds in terms of gluconic acid may be within a predetermined range.
• the content of the one or more amino acids may be more than 30 ppm by mass and not more than 5,000 ppm by mass, and the content of gluconic acid or gluconic acid compounds in terms of gluconic acid may be 30 to 16,000 ppm by mass.
• the content of the one or more amino acids may be more than 0 ppm by mass and not more than 5,000 ppm by mass, and the content of gluconic acid or gluconic acid compounds in terms of gluconic acid may be 170 to 16,000 ppm by mass.
• the content of the one or more amino acids may be more than 0 ppm by mass and less than 3,000 ppm by mass, and the content of gluconic acid or gluconic acid compounds in terms of gluconic acid may be 170 to 20,000 ppm by mass.
• the content of the one or more amino acids may be 40 to 4,000 ppm by mass, and the content of gluconic acid or gluconic acid compounds in terms of gluconic acid may be 50 to 10,000 ppm by mass.
• This range is preferable in that the unpleasant taste of erythritol can be effectively suppressed.
• the relationship between the gluconic acid and amino acid contents may satisfy the formula "3.7 ⁇ log(ppm by mass of gluconic acid)+log(ppm by mass of amino acid) ⁇ 7.6". This formula is a mathematical expression for the range in which excellent effects were confirmed in the examples, and the unpleasant taste of erythritol can be effectively suppressed when the relationship between the gluconic acid and amino acid contents satisfies this formula.
• beverage of the present invention may further contain other amino acids other than those mentioned above, such as ornithine and taurine.
• the beverage of some embodiments of the present invention further comprises a high-intensity sweetener.
• a high-intensity sweetener refers to a compound having a stronger sweetness than sucrose, and may be a naturally derived compound, a synthetic compound, or a combination of a naturally derived compound and a synthetic compound.
• a high-intensity sweetener exhibits a sweetness that is 5 times or more, 10 times or more, 50 times or more, 100 times or more, 500 times or more, 1000 times or more, 5000 times or more, 10000 times or more, 50000 times or more, or 100000 times or more sweeter than sucrose in the same amount as sucrose.
• the above-mentioned steviol glycoside is also a type of high-intensity sweetener.
• the high intensity sweetener comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, rebaudioside I, rebaudioside J, rebaudioside K, rebaudioside M, rebaudioside N, rebaudioside O, rebaudioside Q, rebaudioside R, dulcoside A, dulcoside C, rubusoside, steviol monoside, steviolbioside, stevioside, Monk Fruit Extract, Mogroside V, thaumatin, brazzein, licorice extract, saccharin, neotame, aspartame, acesulfame K, sucralose, and combinations thereof.
• a preferred embodiment of the beverage of the present invention contains at least one selected from the group consisting of aspartame, acesulfame K, sucralose, and combinations thereof
• the beverage of some embodiments of the present invention further contains a low-intensity sweetener other than erythritol.
• the low-intensity sweetener means a sweetener having a sweetness equal to or lower than that of sucrose.
• the low-intensity sweetener exhibits a sweetness of 0.1 times or more and less than 5 times, 3 times, 2 times, 1.5 times, 1.0 times, 0.8 times, 0.7 times, 0.6 times, 0.5 times, or 0.4 times that of sucrose in the same amount.
• the low-intensity sweetener that can be used in the present invention includes, for example, a sweetener selected from glucose, sucrose, xylitol, fructose, maltose, oligosaccharides, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), lactose, psicose, allose, tagatose, xylose, ribose, and combinations thereof.
• the beverage comprises a sweetener selected from xylitol, maltose, oligosaccharides, psicose, allose, tagatose, xylose, ribose and combinations thereof.
• the amount of sweetener contained is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that the sweetness intensity of the beverage is 10 or more (e.g., 10 to 25) in terms of sucrose equivalent value (SEV).
• Sucrose equivalent 1 is the sweetness intensity exhibited by sucrose (cane sugar) per unit concentration Brix 1.
• Brix 1 means that 1 g of sucrose is dissolved in 100 g of aqueous sucrose solution (sucrose concentration 1 w/w%).
• the sucrose equivalent of a beverage can be obtained by multiplying the concentration of the sweetener contained in the beverage (w/v% (which can be considered equivalent to w/w% in the case of beverages)) by the sweetness of that sweetener and adding up the obtained values.
• the sweetness of sucrose when the sweetness of sucrose is taken as 1, the sweetness of rebaudioside D is about 225 times, the sweetness of rebaudioside M is about 230 times, the sweetness of rebaudioside A is 200 to 300 times (median value 250), the sweetness of Monk Fruit Extract is about 110 to 150 times (median value 130 times), the sweetness of mogroside V is about 240 to 300 times (median value 270 times), the sweetness of thaumatin is about 2,000 times, the sweetness of acesulfame potassium is about 200 times, the sweetness of sucralose is about 600 times, and the sweetness of aspartame is about 200 times.
• sucrose when the sweetness of sucrose is 1, glucose has a sweetness of about 0.6 to about 0.7, xylitol is about 1, erythritol is about 0.75 to about 0.85, fructose is about 1.3 to about 1.7, maltose is about 0.4, fructooligosaccharide is about 0.6, maltooligosaccharide is about 0.3, isomaltooligosaccharide is about 0.4 to about 0.5, galactooligosaccharide is about 0.7, fructose glucose liquid sugar is about 0.75, lactose is about 0.2 to 0.3, psicose is about 0.7, allose is about 0.8, tagatose is about 0.9, xylose is about 0.6 to about 0.7, and ribose is about 0.6.
• Beverages according to some embodiments of the present invention contain high-intensity sweeteners at 5-500 ppm by mass, 5-450 ppm by mass, 5-400 ppm by mass, 5-350 ppm by mass, 10-500 ppm by mass, 10-450 ppm by mass, 10-400 ppm by mass, 10-350 ppm by mass, 50-500 ppm by mass, 50-450 ppm by mass, 50-400 ppm by mass, 50-350 ppm by mass, 100-500 ppm by mass, 100-450 ppm by mass, or 50-500 ppm by mass.
• the content of the high-intensity sweetener can be measured by HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography). Alternatively, if the amount of the sweetener is known, a value calculated from the amount of the sweetener may be used.
• Beverages according to some embodiments of the present invention may contain 10 to 3,000 ppm by mass, 10 to 2,500 ppm by mass, 10 to 2,000 ppm by mass, 10 to 1,500 ppm by mass, 10 to 1,000 ppm by mass, 100 to 3,000 ppm by mass, 100 to 2,500 ppm by mass, 100 to 2,000 ppm by mass, 100 to 1,500 ppm by mass, 100 to 1,000 ppm by mass, 500 to 3,000 ppm by mass, 500 to 2,500 ppm by mass, 500 to 2,000 ppm by mass, 500 to 1,500 ppm by mass or 500 to 1,000 ppm by mass of a low-intensity sweetener other than erythritol.
• the content of low-intensity sweeteners can be measured by HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography). Alternatively, if the amounts of these sweeteners are known, values calculated from the amounts may be used.
• the sweetness intensity of beverages according to some embodiments of the present invention is preferably 25 or less in sucrose equivalent, more preferably 20 or less.
• the sweetness intensity of beverages according to some further preferred embodiments of the present invention may be 6-25, 8-25, 10-25, 12-25, 14-25, 16-25, 6-22, 8-22, 10-22, 12-22, 14-22, 16-22, 6-20, 8-20, 10-20, 12-20, 14-20, 16-20, 6-18, 8-18, 10-18, 12-18, 14-18, 6-16, 8-16, 10-16, or 12-16 in sucrose equivalent.
• the beverage according to some embodiments of the present invention further comprises an acidulant.
• the acidulant is not particularly limited as long as it can impart an acidity to the beverage, and examples thereof include ascorbic acid, phosphoric acid, citric acid, gluconic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, malic acid, phytic acid, acetic acid, succinic acid, glucono-delta-lactone, or salts thereof.
• salts include sodium citrate (monosodium citrate, disodium citrate, or trisodium citrate), sodium ascorbate, and the like.
• ascorbic acid, phosphoric acid, citric acid, gluconic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, malic acid, phytic acid, acetic acid, succinic acid, or salts thereof are preferred, and citric acid or a salt thereof is more preferred.
• the beverage according to some embodiments of the present invention contains caffeine.
• Caffeine is generally known to be contained in some foods and beverages such as coffee, but the caffeine used in the present invention may be purified from foods and beverages rich in caffeine, or may be chemically synthesized or biosynthesized.
• caffeine preparations are generally commercially available, and such commercially available products may be used.
• a caffeine-containing raw material such as a cola extract or a coffee bean extract may be used.
• the beverage according to some embodiments of the present invention includes water.
• the water is not particularly limited, and any type of water can be used as long as it does not adversely affect the flavor, but examples include tap water, ion-exchanged water, soft water, distilled water, carbonated water, reverse osmosis water (RO water), treated water, purified water, and demineralized water.
• Beverages according to some embodiments of the present invention may contain ingredients that can be added to ordinary beverages in addition to the above-mentioned ingredients, so long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired.
• ingredients include flavorings, colorants, antioxidants, emulsifiers, seasonings, extracts, pH adjusters, and quality stabilizers.
• the pH of the beverage in some embodiments of the present invention is preferably 2.5 to 5, more preferably 2.5 to 4.8, 2.7 to 4.8, 3.0 to 4.8, 3.2 to 4.8, 3.4 to 4.8, 2.5 to 4.6, 2.7 to 4.6, 3.0 to 4.6, 3.2 to 4.6, 3.4 to 4.6, 2.5 to 4.4, 2.7 to 4.4, 3.0 to 4.4, 3.2
• the pH may be up to 4.4, 3.4 to 4.4, 2.5 to 4.2, 2.7 to 4.2, 3.0 to 4.2, 3.2 to 4.2, 3.4 to 4.2, 2.5 to 4.0, 2.7 to 4.0, 3.0 to 4.0, 3.2 to 4.0, 3.4 to 4.0, 2.5 to 3.8, 2.7 to 3.8, 3.0 to 3.8, 3.2 to 3.8, or 3.4 to 3.8.
• the energy of beverages may range from 100 kcal/100 mL or less, 0-100 kcal/100 mL, 0-90 kcal/100 mL, 0-80 kcal/100 mL, 0-70 kcal/100 mL, 0-60 kcal/100 mL, 0-50 kcal/100 mL, 0-40 kcal/100 mL, 30 kcal/100 mL or less, 0-30 kcal/100 mL, or less, depending on the embodiment.
• the energy of the beverage according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is 30 kcal/100mL or less, more preferably 5-30 kcal/100mL, more preferably 5-15 kcal/100mL.
• the energy content of sweet substances is either known, or can be calculated by measuring the content using HPLC etc. and multiplying it by an energy conversion factor, or by measuring the physical heat of combustion using a calorimeter (e.g. bomb calorimeter) and correcting it for the digestive absorption rate and excreted heat.
• the form of the beverage in some embodiments of the present invention is not limited, and may be in the form of a packaged beverage sealed in a container such as a can, bottle, PET bottle, pouch, paper pack, or plastic container.
• a container such as a can, bottle, PET bottle, pouch, paper pack, or plastic container.
• heat sterilization is performed after packaging, the type is not particularly limited, and can be performed using a conventional method such as tumble sterilization, UHT sterilization, and retort sterilization.
• the temperature of the heat sterilization step is not particularly limited, and is, for example, 65 to 130°C, preferably 80 to 120°C, for 1 to 40 minutes. However, as long as a sterilization value equivalent to the above conditions is obtained, sterilization at an appropriate temperature for a few seconds, for example, 5 to 30 seconds, is not a problem.
• the present invention provides a method for producing the beverage described in "1. Beverage” (hereinafter also referred to as “the method for producing the beverage of the present invention”).
• the production method of one aspect of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it can obtain a beverage by blending the above-mentioned components.
• the manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present invention can be, for example, the following method. First, erythritol, gluconic acid or a gluconic acid compound, and one or more predetermined amino acids are weighed out in predetermined amounts and added to water or a beverage base. These ingredients may be added simultaneously or separately, and may be mixed together before addition to prepare a premix and then added.
• optional ingredients can be added as appropriate.
• the optional ingredients may be added simultaneously with or separately from the erythritol, gluconic acid or a gluconic acid compound, and one or more specified amino acids.
• Beverages apply to “beverage,” “erythritol,” “gluconic acid or gluconic acid compound,” “sodium,” “amino acids,” “high-intensity sweetener,” “low-intensity sweetener,” “acidulant,” “other optional ingredients,” “characteristics,” and “container and sterilization,” and the numerical values described in the above section on beverages apply directly to these items.
• a method for improving the taste quality of a beverage which comprises adding gluconic acid or a gluconic acid compound and one or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, valine, cystine, and theanine to an erythritol-containing beverage.
• the taste quality improving method can improve at least one flavor selected from the group consisting of erythritol-derived unpleasant flavors, low body, and lingering sweetness of a beverage containing erythritol.
• adding gluconic acid or a gluconic acid compound and one or more specific amino acids to a beverage containing erythritol has been shown to be effective, and such an effect was highly unexpected.
• the amount of gluconic acid or gluconic acid compounds added to the beverage is 30 to 20,000 ppm by mass in terms of gluconic acid relative to the total mass of the beverage.
• the amount of gluconic acid added is 30 to 17,000 ppm by mass, 30 to 16,000 ppm by mass, 30 to 15,000 ppm by mass, 30 to 10,000 ppm by mass, 30 to 8,000 ppm by mass, 30 to 6,000 ppm by mass, 30 to 4,000 ppm by mass, 30 to 2,000 ppm by mass, 50 to 20,000 ppm by mass, 50 to 6,000 ppm by mass, 50 to 8,000 ppm by mass, 50 to 10 ...
• the amount of amino acid added to the beverage may be greater than 0 ppm by mass and not greater than 5,000 ppm by mass relative to the total mass of the beverage.
• the range of the amount of amino acid added may be, depending on the embodiment, 10 to 5,000 ppm by mass, 30 to 5,000 ppm by mass, greater than 30 ppm by mass and not greater than 5,000 ppm by mass, 50 to 5,000 ppm by mass, 100 to 5,000 ppm by mass, 150 to 5,000 ppm by mass, 200 to 5,000 ppm by mass, 250 to 5,000 ppm by mass, 30 to ...
• Beverages apply to “beverage,” “erythritol,” “gluconic acid or gluconic acid compound,” “sodium,” “amino acids,” “high-intensity sweetener,” “low-intensity sweetener,” “acidulant,” “other optional ingredients,” “characteristics,” and “container and sterilization,” and the numerical values described in the above section on beverages apply directly to these items.
• the beverage contains more than 30 ppm by mass and not more than 5,000 ppm by mass of one or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of glycine, alanine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, serine, threonine, glutamine, asparagine, arginine, lysine and histidine, preferably alanine and glycine.
• the beverage is provided containing one or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of glycine, alanine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, serine, threonine, glutamine, asparagine, arginine, lysine and histidine, preferably alanine and glycine, at more than 0 ppm by mass and not more than 5,000 ppm by mass.
• the beverage is provided which contains more than 0 ppm by mass and less than 3,000 ppm by mass of one or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of glycine, alanine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, serine, threonine, glutamine, asparagine, arginine, lysine and histidine, preferably alanine and glycine.
• 5,000 to 10,000 ppm by mass of erythritol 50 to 10,000 ppm by mass of gluconic acid or a gluconic acid compound in terms of gluconic acid; and one or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of glycine, alanine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, serine, threonine, glutamine, asparagine, arginine, lysine and histidine, preferably alanine and glycine, at 40 to 4,000 ppm by mass.
• 5,000 to 10,000 ppm by mass of erythritol 50 to 10,000 ppm by mass of gluconic acid or sodium gluconate in terms of gluconic acid; 40 to 4,000 ppm by mass of one or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of glycine, alanine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, serine, threonine, glutamine, asparagine, arginine, lysine and histidine, preferably alanine and glycine;
• a beverage is provided that contains 600 to 1,800 ppm by weight of sodium.
• the word “about” means that the subject is within a range of ⁇ 25%, ⁇ 10%, ⁇ 5%, ⁇ 3%, ⁇ 2% or ⁇ 1% of the numerical value following "about.”
• “about 10” means a range of 7.5 to 12.5.
• weight percent can be considered to be the same as mass percent.
• Example A Evaluation of beverages ⁇ Sample preparation>
• the artificial sweeteners saccharide, acesulfame potassium), erythritol, amino acids (DL-alanine, L-glycine), sodium gluconate and water were mixed in the amounts shown in Table 1, and then filled into glass bottles to prepare sample solutions.
• the raw materials used were as follows: sucralose (Tate & Lyle, SPLENDA (registered trademark)), acesulfame potassium (Celanese, Sunett (registered trademark)), erythritol (Kotobuki Bussan Co., Ltd.), DL-alanine (Marugo Corporation, DL-alanine), L-glycine (Happo Shokusan Co., Ltd.), anhydrous sodium gluconate (Fuso Chemical Co., Ltd., Healthy A), and water (distilled water). After preparation, each sample was sterilized at 80°C for 10 minutes.
• ⁇ Sensory evaluation item 1 Evaluation of unpleasant taste> (Evaluation Method) For the samples prepared as described above, 3 to 7 trained expert panelists scored each sample for "off-flavor" in the range of 0 ⁇ 10 points, with the control (Example A1) scored as 0 points and the sample with erythritol added to the control (Example A2) scored as -10 points. Thus, 0 points corresponds to the off-flavor of the control itself, and 10 points corresponds to a level where no off-flavor is felt at all. The average scores obtained are shown in Table 2. The evaluation criteria were agreed upon in advance among the panelists.
• “off-flavor” refers to the specific off-flavor perceived when drinking a beverage containing erythritol. The off-flavor evaluation was performed by swallowing the samples.
• ⁇ Sensory evaluation item 2 Evaluation of body feeling> (Evaluation Method) For the samples prepared as described above, 3 to 7 trained expert panelists scored each sample for "body feeling" in the range of 0 ⁇ 10 points, with the control (Example A1) scored as 0 points, no body feeling at all scored as -10 points, and the strongest body feeling possible scored as +10 points. The average values are shown in Table 2. The evaluation criteria were agreed upon in advance among the panelists.
• body feeling refers to the thickness of the beverage when drunk, and the higher the score, the less the loss of body feeling from the sugar-containing beverage. The evaluation of body feeling was performed by swallowing the sample.
• ⁇ Sensory evaluation item 3 Evaluation of sweetness aftertaste> (Evaluation Method) For the samples prepared as described above, 3 to 7 trained expert panelists scored each sample in terms of "sweet aftertaste" in the range of 0 ⁇ 10 points, with the control (Example A1) scored as 0 points, a level where no sweet aftertaste was felt at all scored as +10 points, and a level where the sweet aftertaste was extremely strong scored as -10 points. The average values are shown in Table 2. The evaluation criteria were agreed upon in advance among the panelists.
• sweet aftertaste refers to the sweet sensation that remains in the mouth when drinking a beverage containing an artificial sweetener or a non-caloric sweetener. The evaluation of sweet aftertaste was carried out by swallowing the samples.
• Example B Evaluation of energy drinks ⁇ Sample preparation> As in Example A, energy flavor, sodium citrate, glucuronolactone, taurine, citric acid, artificial sweeteners (sucralose, acesulfame potassium), xanthan gum, erythritol, amino acids (DL-alanine, L-glycine), sodium gluconate, carbonated water and water were mixed in the amounts shown in Table 3, and then the mixture was filled into a glass bottle to prepare a sample solution.
• artificial sweeteners sucralose, acesulfame potassium
• xanthan gum erythritol
• amino acids DL-alanine, L-glycine
• the raw materials used are as follows: flavoring (energy flavor), trisodium citrate dihydrate (Fuso Chemical Co., Ltd.), glucuronolactone, taurine, citric acid (Fuso Chemical Co., Ltd.), sucralose (Tate & Lyle, SPLENDA (registered trademark)), acesulfame potassium (Celanese, Sunett (registered trademark)), xanthan gum, erythritol (Kotobuki Bussan Co., Ltd.), DL-alanine (Marugo Corporation, DL-alanine), L-glycine (Happo Shokusan Co., Ltd.), anhydrous sodium gluconate (Fuso Chemical Co., Ltd., Healthy A), carbonated water, and water (distilled water). After preparation, each sample was sterilized at 80°C for 10 minutes, and carbon dioxide gas was injected so that the gas pressure was 1.3 to 1.5 kgf/ cm2 at a liquid temperature of 20°C.
• Example A the samples prepared as described above were evaluated by five trained expert panelists for sensory evaluation items 1 to 3.
• Example B1 was used as a control. The results are shown in Table 3.

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